The Orb of Cairado by Katherine Addison

A very welcome novella for fans of Addison’s science fiction, set around the time of The Goblin Emperor, but closer in tone to The Witness for the Dead. Ulcetha Zorvena, a shopkeeper’s son, was a history scholar until five years ago. He was accused of stealing the bejeweled Orish Veltavan from Osmer Bruna Aidrina. Aidrina, a scholar from the University of Cairado, found the object in the ruins of the Summer Palace. Ulcetha is not a thief, though he has spent the last several years writing provenances for fake artifacts.

After the sudden death of a friend, Ulcetha is stunned to find himself traveling to the site of the Summer Palace on an expedition for the ultimate prize, the Orb of Cairado. Faced with difficult choices, Ulcetha keeps trying to steel himself to do the next right thing. A twisty plot, a mix of mystery, adventure and scholarship set on a steampunk world populated by elves, goblins, and half-elves make for a fast-paced read. I really enjoyed the scenes set in the university library, where Ulcetha no longer has a scholar’s access.

This memorable novella has me looking forward to Celehar’s return in The Tomb of Dragons, just published this month.  While I read an eBook, Subterranean Press also offers a gorgeous hardcover.

Brenda